Clarksville, TN – The 2020 Austin Peay State University baseball schedule, released Tuesday, features a 55 game slate highlighted by 27 home games.
The 2020 season begins Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14th, when Eastern Michigan travels to Clarksville for a three-game series.
It is the start of a season-season opening eight-game homestand for the Govs, which includes their second turn as co-host of the Mule Mix Classic in Week 2.
This season’s event will bring Missouri State, Samford, Bradley and Evansville to Raymond C. Hand Park.
Austin Peay State University’s first road trip arrives in Week 3 with a trip to Jacksonville, February 28th-March 1st, that will be the team’s final tune up before the start of Ohio Valley Conference play the following weekend. The trip to Jacksonville is the return leg of a home-and-home three-game series between the two teams. Austin Peay State University won last season’s series played in Clarksville.
The Govs’ OVC slate will see them open against Murray State, Southeast Missouri, Eastern Kentucky, UT Martin and Eastern Illinois. The Govs-Panthers series, May 8th-10th, wrapping up the 2020 home schedule. Austin Peay State University will travel to Tennessee Tech, Belmont, Morehead State, SIU Edwardsville and Jacksonville State during league play.
During Austin Peay State University’s off week in league play, it will travel to North Carolina State for a three-game series, May 1st-3rd, in its final nonconference tests. It will be the second time in four seasons the Govs have faced the Wolfpack during the regular season, the teams last meeting in 2017.
The 2020 OVC Baseball Championship returns to Rent One Park in Marion, Illinois for a May 19th-24th run before the start of the NCAA Baseball Championship with regional play, May 29th-June 1st.
Austin Peay State University returns 18 letterwinners from last season’s team that finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference regular season race. Sophomore Garrett Spain, the OVC Freshman of the Year last season, returns to patrol center field. On the mound, senior Ryan Kouba returns after posting five wins in 2019.
Season tickets for the 2020 baseball season are available for purchase now and 2019 season ticket holders will be receiving information on how to renew for 2020 from the Austin Peay State University Athletics Ticket Office. The quickest way to renew or purchase season tickets is to visit LetsGoPeay.com/buytickets and click on the Baseball Season Tickets link. Fans may also call the APSU ticket office at 931.221.PEAY (7329) to complete the purchasing process.
Notes and Notables
Fans will have to wait until April for the much-anticipated Austin Peay-Vanderbilt rematch, with the teams scheduled to meet April 28th at Hawkins Field. The APSU Govs downed the eventual 2019 national champions in a February 28th meeting last season.
Austin Peay State University will face six teams that finished 2019 ranked in the Top 100 of the NCAA’s RPI, accounting for 14 games. Four of those opponents pop up in the second half of the season: Morehead State, Vanderbilt, North Carolina State and Jacksonville State.
The APSU Govs’ 2020 slate is heavy with Missouri Valley Conference opposition with Bradley, Evansville, Missouri State and Southern Illinois on the schedule. Austin Peay State University will play six nonconference tilts against the MVC.
Saint Louis and Western Illinois return to the Austin Peay State University schedule after long hiatuses. The Govs and Billikens last met in 1988 while the Leathernecks and Govs last met in 1985.
The APSU Govs home-and-home set against Evansville will feature a pair of former Govs: Purple Aces pitching coach A.J. Gaura and volunteer assistant coach Keirce Kimbel.
